Fruit is next...any advice?

[Hoffer]

really enjoyed all the help with the jerky post!!

I am going to try some dried fruit soon.

I will do some research on the internet too - but do you guys have any advice for fruit?

Is it as simple as slicing up and drying?? Or do you need to also do something to the fruit to keep it from getting bad?

Also, for a first timer - any suggestions on where to start?

I was thinking of just bananas and apples to start with.

Last...can you do different fruits together? or do you get "cross taste" by doing that?

Thanks again!

Hoffer

[SalmonSlayer]

I coat apples with some cinnamon and sugar. Bananas are tricky. If you just slice and dice they will NOT turn out like the ones you buy in the store. Those are dipped in a simply syrup type solution, and then fried, before they are dried. I've tried both ways, they turned out really chewy. Strawberries worked great, sliced, coated with sugar water and dried. Fruit takes a long time compared to meat though, a lot higher moisture content. Good luck.

[Hoffer]

Thanks for the reply Slayer!

That doesnt sound promising compared to what i was thinking...

I dont want to fry stuff and coat with syrop - I am trying to stay more on the healthy side

strawberries dont sound too bad if they just need a little sugar water coating?

any other ideas out there??

How about apples?

[Cicada]

Found this:Instructions for Drying Apples:

1. Wash apples.

2. Peel (optional).

3. Remove core.

4. Optional: pretreat apples by soaking slices in a lemon juice or ascorbic acid solution for 2 or 3 minutes (for solution: use a ratio of 1 cup water to 1 tbsp lemon juice){my note: this is to reduce the fruit from turning brown}

5. Cut the fruit into 1/4" thick slices.

6. Dry the apples at 100 degrees (F) for about 8 hours or until just crisp.

7. Store dried apples in a clean, dry, airtight container, in a cool dark location. (Light can cause discoloration)

Pears might be a good one to experiment with. If you haven't tried Bosc pears, you should. They don't get a lot of attention. They are the ones that look kind of like a russet potato. Excellent pear. I would follow the same instructions to dehydrate pears as apples.

Berries would be fun too. Raisin like versions of blueberries, cranberries, raspberries would make a cool medly of flavor.

[OnAFly]

When doing berries, do you have to somehow pierce the skin so the moisture can get out or will they dehydrate fine as is? My mom goes picking every year, so I wind up with a ton of berries. I'm thinking this would be a good preservation method.

[Cicada]

There was a trick to doing some berries and i can't remember what I googled to get the apple steps.